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High Altitude Rum Raisin Apple Butter Cake

December 9, 2015 by Heather Smoke 7 Comments

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Having made a big batch of apple butter, I thought it would taste lovely in a cake. So I baked a rum raisin apple butter cake, frosted with spiced vanilla buttercream. What could be better for winter than such cozy, warming, delicious flavors, right? I also made a gingerbread house from scratch, which I had intended to place on top of the cake. But the house ended up much bigger than I planned. So I just decorated my cake with some pretty piped peaks of buttercream, like snow-covered mountain tops.

Looking for more holiday recipes? You’ll love this pumpkin cake with chocolate leaves, apple cider layer cake with maple buttercream, and baked gingerbread doughnuts.

Rum raisin apple butter cake with vanilla buttercream, and a gingerbread house in the background.

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Ingredients

  • All-Purpose Flour. Creates a structured cake batter.
  • Dark Brown Sugar. Adds sweetness, moisture, and a hint of molasses flavor.
  • Baking Soda. Leavens the cake, making it rise.
  • Coarse Kosher Salt. Balances the sweetness.
  • Apple Butter. Adds flavor, moisture and spice.
  • Vegetable Oil. Adds moisture.
  • Whole Milk. For moisture and richness.
  • Spiced Rum. Adds flavor. Be sure to use a dark spiced rum, not a white rum. Although the alcohol bakes off, for an alcohol-free version, substitute the rum with water.
  • Eggs. Adds richness and structure.
  • Vanilla Extract. Flavor.
  • Raisins. A delicious textural contrast to the soft cake.

This is a “whisk and bake” kind of cake, which is the easiest to make. You don’t need to cream the butter and sugar, simply whisk together the dry ingredients, whisk in the liquid ingredients and bake. This rum raisin apple butter cake is so moist and flavorful, and just delicious with the spiced vanilla buttercream. Another fantastic option would be cream cheese buttercream.

Instructions

Whisk the Batter and Bake.

In a bowl, whisk together the flour, brown sugar, baking soda and salt. Add the wet ingredients and whisk to combine, then fold in the raisins. Cake making doesn’t get easier than this.

Divide the batter between greased pans and bake until done. Be sure to cool the cakes completely before frosting them.

Make the Buttercream.

If you haven’t read my post, How to Make Perfect American Buttercream, you really should. I’ve shared a wealth of information to help you make the best buttercream you’ve ever tasted.

I paired my rum raisin apple butter cake with spiced vanilla buttercream with a pinch of salt, and it’s just fantastic.

Be sure to read all of my BAKING FAQs where I discuss ingredients, substitutions and common questions with cake making, so that you can be successful in your own baking! I also suggest reading my comprehensive posts on making Perfect American Buttercream and How to Stack, Fill, Crumb Coat and Frost Layer Cakes.

A slice of rum raisin apple butter cake.
A gingerbread house with a rum raisin apple butter cake in the background.

A Homemade Gingerbread House for Christmas

We’ve been decorating for Christmas this week and brought home our first real tree.  It smells wonderfully of pine and winter and cozy evenings at home.

I baked gingerbread, too, having rolled out the dough and cut the house from templates I drew up.  The gingerbread is heavily spiced, and so fragrant, its scent filling our kitchen with the aromas of molasses, cinnamon, ginger and cloves.

After assembling the sides, roof and chimney with royal icing, I thinned out the icing with a little water to decorate the house, embellishing it with drifts of snow and dripping icicles.  It was my first time baking and decorating a gingerbread house from scratch, and it was so much work that I have no intention of letting anyone eat it.

Gingerbread house with icing details.
A slice of rum raisin apple butter cake.
A gingerbread house with a cake in the background.

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Did you love today’s recipe? Please rate the recipe and let me know in the comments what you thought! Also, be sure to follow Curly Girl Kitchen on Instagram, and tag me when you try one of my recipes so I can see all your delicious creations!

Rum raisin apple butter cake with vanilla buttercream, and a gingerbread house in the background.

High Altitude Rum Raisin Apple Butter Cake

Heather Smoke
A moist and tender apple butter cake, made with brown sugar, spiced rum and raisins, frosted with spiced vanilla buttercream.

All recipes on Curly Girl Kitchen are developed for high altitude at 5,280 feet.

5 from 1 vote
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 mins
Cook Time 20 mins
Total Time 35 mins
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings16

Equipment

  • Stand Mixer

Ingredients
 

Cake

  • 3 ¼ cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
  • 1 ½ cups dark brown sugar, lightly packed
  • 1 ½ tsp baking soda
  • ½ tsp coarse Kosher salt (if using table salt, use half the amount)
  • 1 ½ cups apple butter
  • ½ cup vegetable oil
  • ⅔ cup whole milk
  • ¼ cup dark spiced rum
  • 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • ½ cup raisins

Buttercream

  • 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
  • 1 tbsp meringue powder, optional
  • ¼ tsp coarse Kosher salt (if using table salt, use half the amount)
  • ½ tsp ground cinnamon
  • ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
  • ⅛ tsp ground cloves
  • 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
  • 2-4 tbsp milk or cream, if needed

Instructions
 

Cake

  • Preheat the oven to 350, and spray the bottoms of three 8-inch cake pans with non-stick spray.
  • In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, brown sugar, baking soda and salt.
  • Add the apple butter, oil, milk, rum, eggs and vanilla, and whisk until combined. Fold in the raisins.
  • Divide the batter between the pans. Bake on the center oven rack for about 20-22 minutes, until a cake tester or toothpick comes out clean.
  • Set the pans on a cooling rack, cover loosely with a clean kitchen towel, and cool completely.

Buttercream

  • In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the butter for 1 minute. With the mixer on low, add the powdered sugar and meringue powder and mix to combine.
  • Add the remaining ingredients and whip for 4-5 minutes on medium high speed until very light and fluffy. Only add the milk if needed for desired consistency.
  • Fill, stack and frost the cooled cakes with the buttercream.

Notes

Leftover cake should be stored in an airtight container or cake carrier at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Keyword Apple Butter, Cake, High Altitude, Rum Raisin
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Filed Under: Christmas and Thanksgiving, Christmas Cakes

Previous Post: « Candy Corn Halloween Cake with Striped Buttercream
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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. June Burns

    December 9, 2015 at 3:56 am

    Oh wow, your gingerbread house is incredible! I tried making one (from scratch) last year, but it wasn't nearly as pretty as yours 🙂 Love the cake too, rum raisin + apple butter sounds like a great combo!

    Reply
    • Heather Smoke

      December 10, 2015 at 2:57 pm

      The cake was one of my favorites I've made – with the texture of the raisins, it reminded me of these raisin spice bars my mom used to make when I was little.

      Reply
  2. La Table De Nana

    December 9, 2015 at 1:39 pm

    It is indeed perfection and beautifully presented! I love the cake and the advent calendar too..and you look beautiful w/ the tree.

    Reply
    • Heather Smoke

      December 10, 2015 at 2:58 pm

      I think next year, I will have to make a few little mini ones – someone also suggested that if I don't want to eat it, I could cheat and use hot glue to put the sides together, then cover it with icing. Might make that part a little easier. 🙂

      Reply
    • La Table De Nana

      December 10, 2015 at 5:16 pm

      I did that one year:)

      But if you use your cookie cutter..to sort of guide it straight while assembling ..it works..look how cute Heather..it was worth it!

      Reply
  3. Unknown

    December 9, 2015 at 5:49 pm

    Love the gingerbread house!!

    Reply
    • Heather Smoke

      December 10, 2015 at 2:58 pm

      Thank you, Lynne! 🙂

      Reply

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I'm Heather, and welcome to my Colorado kitchen, where you will find high-altitude tested recipes for beautifully photographed cakes, baked goods and sweets. I believe that the kitchen is the heart of a home, and everyone is welcome in mine. So stay a while, sip a cup of coffee, and bake something delicious with me!

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